DC Prime: New Titans
by DC Prime Universe
Summary: Part of the DC Prime Universe: Something is coming to Titans Tower. After nine years of being separated, The Titans are forced to reunite after events that happened ten years in the past. The Titans fight a war across past, present and future all leading to the end, Titans Tower where they stand united once more.
1. The Times are a Changin' Part 1

**The New Titans Issue One: The Times are a Changin': Part One**

Gotham Bridge, Night

Batman stands at the edge of a rooftop, looking down on Gotham's Bridge where a riot takes place, the golden fire illuminates him even from a distance. On the bridge, over two hundred men ravage everything in sight, setting cars alight and destroying the ground below them. Among the group of gang members and rioters is Killer Croc, towering over the crowd, causing the most damage.

Batman Narration:  
The record for fighting a group of two hundred men is sixteen minutes. Sixteen minutes of swift and precise movements, all fitting in together like a jigsaw puzzle.

Batman looks at his utility belt, his escrima sticks look back at him.

Batman Narration:  
Using the escrima sticks makes it easier. It takes away the impact of your fist breaking another man's bones. Ever since I put on the cowl, I haven't touched them. I put them in my belt every day, hardly noticing them.

Batman spreads out his cape, drops and glides down towards the bridge.

Batman Narration:  
The escrima sticks charge an electrical pulse, causing an initial sting but then the after effects are made painless.

Batman lands onto the bridge, breaking the concrete below him. The men are startled for a second but then circle Batman, Killer Croc leading.

Batman Narration:  
Today isn't the day to be merciful, today isn't the day to take the pain away. But then again, tonight's the night.

Police and News helicopters shine their spotlights on the scene below them, Killer Croc looks up and hisses.

Killer Croc: I'm going to tear through your flesh on the evening news!

Batman Narration:  
Tonight's the night all hell breaks loose.

Killer Croc charges at Batman, who leaps over Croc and kicks his back. The rest of the riot charge at Batman, roaring in their own way. Batman strikes a battle pose, gritting his teeth. Breaking a few teeth, Batman kicks a man in the face while throwing a few batarangs at the men that surround him, he then back-flips and lands on Killer Croc. Trying to throw him off, Killer Croc grabs Batman and throws him into the rabid crowd of insane men, they converge and pile onto the Batman.

Batman Narration:  
Tonight's the night I lose.

As the men leap onto him, not doing much damage, Batman opens a control panel in his gauntlet, causing a large electric blast. A bright blue light explodes in Batman's gauntlets, the fabric on his batsuit burns away, leaving dark grey underarmour. A large group of the men become startled, giving Batman the chance to leap into the crowd, taking down the thugs.

Batman Narration:  
I could call for backup.

Batman spits blood, throwing smoke bombs and taking down a few men in the shadows.

Batman Narration:  
No, I NEED this.  
Batman leaps onto Killer Croc, pulling out a flashbang from his utility belt and crushing it against Killer Croc's ear. The flashbang explodes, causing a deafening sound and a blinding light.

Batman Narration:  
I NEED to be hardened.

Batman grabs Croc's face, pulling it down and hitting it against his knee, rendering Croc unconscious.

Batman Narration:  
I NEED to be strong.

He stands, solitary as the smoke clears, staring at the pile of men below him.

Batman Narration:  
I NEED to be Batman  
A thug runs at Batman, who swiftly turns and throws a batarang at the thug's face, knocking him over.

Batman Narration:  
Seven minutes... New record.

A few miles above Asia, dawn

Cyborg Narration:  
My men tell me that when they're going to the battlefield... it's only just then they realise the chance of dying. The chance that one bullet could slip through the Kevlar on their chest and kill them, almost instantly. I don't feel that. I know that I'm not going to die. I know that there's not a chance of a bullet, not even an exploding round hitting me and killing me.

Cyborg leaps into the bronze sky, holding an amazingly large plasma rifle. An enemy jet plane flies in front of him, shooting him with countless rounds of machine-gun bullets. Cyborg collides with the plane, grasping onto it. He looks at the pilot, who pulls out a small pistol and starts shooting him through the cockpit.

Cyborg Narration:  
Today I feel that. That sudden sense of one hit and it's all over. I'll tell ya, it's scary.

Cyborg: Land this plane, now!

The pilot shouts a foreign language.

Cyborg Narration:  
Not because of what's happening right now, though. Not because I'm clinging onto a plane with a nuke on it. No. Something much worse.

Cyborg tries to climb onto the top of the plane, but is thrown under. He quickly grabs the underside of the plane and punches roughly where the cockpit would be. Cyborg reaches up, trying to keep his balance. He grabs the pilot's leg and pulls, breaking through the cockpit and pulling the pilot out. Through the hole that the pilot left, Cyborg climbs up and manoeuvres through the jet plane, looking for the nuclear bomb.

Cyborg Narration:  
Nine seconds.

Cyborg looks to the tail end of the plane, notices the bomb, grabs it and runs and breaks through the end of the jet plane. He falls into the side of a cliff, tumbling down into the canopy of a tree. Cyborg looks to his side, the bomb is safe next to him. He then hears a phone beep, he opens a compartment in his leg and pulls out his phone, he opens it and it reads, "Dick Grayson: Tonight's the night".

Cyborg: Dispatch, I'm going to need a chopper.

The Watchtower, Meeting Room

A few costumed heroes walk out through the door but two people stay. The two people are Donna Troy and Barbara Gordon, Oracle. A giant window is behind them, looking down on Earth. A few people are seen walking out of the door, the door closes behind them.

Barbara: It's been two years since our last session, Donna. I don't really understand why you're here

Donna: Nothing, nothing happened. I just feel helpless, like something's coming and I can't stop it. The nightmares, the constant...

Barbara: Nightmares? The car...?

Donna: It had nothing to do with Robert.

Barbara: Then what happened?

Donna stays silent.

Barbara: Do you have any idea what it means?

Donna: It means tonight's the night.

Barbara: Do you mean...?

Donna: It's today.

Barbara: I can come with you, I can talk to Dick... Just let me help you.

Donna stays silent.

Barbara: Something is coming to Titans Tower and it's gonna bring HELL to the world, you can't face that on your own.

Donna turns to Barbara.

Donna: That's what the Titans are for.

Raven's Apartment, Morning

Raven lies in bed, she twists and turns. Nightmares stalk her, she seems terrified. Her desk floats and so does her bed. Her window cracks and wakes her up in shock. Panting, she looks to the window. Raven looks to the desk beside her bed, it drops. She hears her cat meow and her phone beep. Raven picks up her phone, she looks at it, a text reads "Dick Grayson: Tonight's the night". Raven's face swiftly becomes emotionless and pale as her window shatters. The desk shoots out of the wall into the street, she hears a crash from the ground. The apartment turns inside out as the walls close in, her bed breaks apart and the floors shatter. She looks to her wardrobe, the doors open and a dark smoke-like entity consumes her, dressing her in her a black, smoke filled hooded cloak.

City Street, Morning

Raven descends from her apartment, tearing the building down brick by brick. As Raven lands gracefully, the ground below her caves in and she begins to walk through the street, creating a path of destruction behind her. A tear drops from her eye and as it lands, everything is restored. As rocks, bricks and pieces of wood rise up before her, she stares at the sun.

Raven Narration:  
Last chance to see the morning sun.

Raven rises and flies quickly but gracefully towards the sun, the wind blowing her long cloak.

Tamaranian Space Station, Sector 2814

Starfire, in a white space cadet uniform, leaps away from a giant cthulu-like monster. Futuristic technology folds in on itself, being crushed by the monster. Starfire runs up the walls, the space station being turned upside-down by the weight of the monster, sparks flying from behind her. One of the tentacles reaches to grab her but Starfire leaps and turns, shooting an energy blast at the tentacle. The tentacle retracts, but the giant multi-eyed face shoots towards Starfire, biting her leg. Starfire fires a few energy blasts but they prove ineffective, she then tries to kick the monster away. Sparks still flying in her face, Starfire notices a loose cable and shoves it in one of the eyes of the monster, startling it for a quick second. Starfire's phone beeps in her pocket.

Starfire: I'm slaying a Thanagarian Snare Beast and someone wants to chat!?

Starfire shoots multiple energy blasts, each startling the Snare Beast for a moment. Her phone keeps beeping. The Snare Beast hits Starfire against a wall, the wall collapsing as she hits it. A long rope with a handle at the end of it drops before her, Starfire notices the writing on the handle, 'Airlock'. Starfire pulls on the handle and the airlock, quite beaten up, opens, dragging the Snare Beast out into deep space. She holds onto the handle, the air trying to pull her into space. Starfire pulls out her phone, a text reads "Dick Grayson: Tonight's the night".

Starfire: Today?

Releasing her hand from the handle, Starfire is pulled out of the space station.

Starfire: Gravity shields.

A Starfire sized forcefield appears around her and she starts crash landing towards Earth. The Snare Beast floats below her, while falling, she grabs it and uses it as a shield. The Snare Beast and Starfire both plummet towards Earth as the Snare Beast starts burning up in Earth's atmosphere.

A few miles outside of Titans Tower, night

Beast Boy rides on his Harley Davidson past forest-like terrain towards Titans Tower.

Beast Boy Narration:  
Nine years and still lit up. I owe Vic five dollars.  
He wears his classic white and red costume with a biker jacket over it.

Beast Boy Narration:  
Can't frickin' wait. Nine years, nine years without the Titans. Didn't think they'd survive without me. Vic, Kory, Raven, Dick, Donna... The Beast-Rider.

Beast Boy slaps the side of the seat.

Beast Boy Narration:  
Hell yeah, The Beast-Rider!

Titans Tower, night

Beast Boy stands before the gigantic beacon of light that is Titans Tower. It tower over him, giving Beast Boy a look of amazement and childhood wonder. The Tower lets out a blinding light, still working after all these years. Beast Boy looks up, a comet is flying towards the Tower, he looks to the left, and Raven descends. A helicopter hovers above him, he can barely see Cyborg inside.  
Beast Boy: Well, well... the saints are coming.

Ten Years Earlier, somewhere...

Beast Boy and Cyborg sit together, with a pen and paper. Cyborg looks less armoured, less powerful. More humanity is shown, his face full of emotion, a full head of hair. Both around fifteen, Beast Boy being the younger of the two. Beast Boy wears his costume, red and white, a bowl-haircut, the same as in the future. Across from them are the rest of the Titans, stoic and worn. Dick Grayson, Nightwing. Wearing blue, yellow and a darker blue, the colours shoot out and are a marvel to the eyes. Dark but full of personality. Raven, her cloak draped over wears dark blue, her hood shadowing her face. Donna Troy, Wonder Girl stands straight, battle worn in a bright red costume, holding a traditional Greek sword. Finally, Starfire in a bright purple Tamaranian royal suit, her hair big and a smile always on her face, even just a slight smirk. They all stay in a large empty New York City, where cars are driven by themselves. The New York breeze of business is absent, leaving a hollow shell of a city, with only the Titans to populate it. In the distance lies an abnormal T-shaped building, bright light jumps out of it as it stands on the edge of a hill, staring out into the rest of the city.

Cyborg: Not a shared dream state. It's a...

Beast Boy: A f*cking pocket dimension!

Cyborg: Pottymouth.

Nightwing's eyes widen, but then return to their normal state.

Nightwing Narration:  
No idea how long we've been here. We haven't aged a day. We haven't got any perception of time. Just a battlefield full of weird stuff.

Raven: How did you come to this conclusion?

Beast Boy: Geez, lighten up. Take a sec to celebrate, we're getting out of here.

Cyborg: Not definitely. But we can at least TRY to get out of here.

Donna Troy: So how do we do that?

Cyborg: The watchtower.

Nightwing: Of course!

Cyborg: The watchtower has the farthest reach in any universe. We need to get to the nucleus.

Starfire: Like a cell? I'm sorry, Victor, but I do not think getting to the nucleus of a cell is going to help us.

Nightwing: No, Kory. Every pocket dimension has a centre, a nucleus. It's there so the creators have a way to make contact with the outside.

Raven: But the nucleus needs to have relevance to the occupiers, something in common if you will.

Beast Boy Narration:  
We don't know where we are, we don't know how long we've been here. We don't know anything. I know one thing, I've got the Titans.

WHERE are the past Titans and WHAT the events that led them there? Also, WHAT'S coming to Titans Tower and HOW can the Titans stop it? Keep reading The New Titans to find out.

**To be continued...**


	2. The Times are a Changin' Part 2

**The New Titans Issue Two: The Times are a Changin': Part Two**

HIVE Base, Main floor

A woman stands in the main floor of the HIVE base as soldiers, demons, monsters and business men scurry past her. A desk lies in front of her, a microphone on it, behind it sits a man who seems flustered by his amount of work, not paying attention. The woman walks towards the desk, picks up the microphone and holds it to her mouth. Her face breaks, a fake sadness.

Woman: Everyone please, leave the premises. Go home to your families! HOLD THEM CLO...

HIVE Soldiers grab her arms and take her away, kicking and screaming. The mass amount of demons, monsters, aliens and HIVE workers stop to stare at the woman, trying to tear herself away. While being pulled away, the woman slaps the wall, leaving a small device attached.

HIVE Base, holding room

The woman is thrown down into the dark room, where bars stand tall before her. The woman pulls out a communicator from her pocket and holds it to her lip.

Woman: Okay, you're good to go.

HIVE Base, Main Floor

A HIVE soldier stares at the device on the wall, a red light rapidly blinks. He tries to pry it off, but it won't be removed. He grabs it until it violently explodes, letting out a sudden golden cloud of fire and ash.

HIVE Base, holding room

The woman stands tall, behind the bars as the gigantic monster of fire follows towards her, but then is stopped by an invisible forcefield before the bars.

Teleportation tunnel

All of the Titans stand together, tall, stoic. Batman, his caped draped over him, his eyes peering out. Cyborg, tall, sporting heavy armour, hiding every centimetre of flesh but for the large patch on his face. Raven floats, her cape levitating, moving as if it was a living creature. Starfire, wearing a white space-cadet uniform, green energy floating around her hands and eyes. Donna Troy, stands tall, the stars on her costume dying and moving as the universe expands, her bracelets shining brightly, reflecting the white rotation of the teleportation tunnel. Beast Boy crouches over, wearing his classic costume with child like wonder on his face.

Beast Boy: Are you gonna say it?

Batman stays silent.

Beast Boy: C'mon, say it, for old times sake.

Batman still stays silent.

Beast Boy: Why you guys all gotta be so joyless? Seriously, how many people died in nine years?

Donna silently screams at Beast Boy, her face full of anger.

Batman looks to Donna, in a way calling her off.

Beast Boy: Alright, I'll say it.

Batman: No.

Beast Boy: THERE'S our brooding crusader.

Batman: I'm not saying it.

Beast Boy: C'mon, say it.

Batman: I'm not saying it.

Beast Boy: Say it, say it, say it.

The teleportation tunnel starts depleting and opening up, revealing the HIVE main room, ravaged by the explosion.

Batman: TITANS, GO!

HIVE Base, Main room

The Titans leap out of the teleportation tunnel, only Beast Boy striking a battle pose. Some HIVE Soldiers stop attending to their wounds to pull their guns up and fire away at the Titans. Cyborg pulls up a holo-shield, and it surrounds the Titans, deflecting a mass amount of bullets.

The HIVE Room is populated by a large amount of HIVE Soldiers, all aiming their large futuristic guns at the Titans. The holo-shield finally gives and instantly the Titans are thrust into battle as Donna Troy drop kicks a few soldiers, blowing them back like a strong wind. Beast Boy lifts into the air as an eagle, he then plummets as an elephant, causing a shockwave that sweeps the HIVE soldiers off their feet and launching Batman into the air to punch a few soldiers while landing.

Raven starts levitating every object she can find, using her powers to their near extent, she then launches them at the soldiers, making them take a leap back, to be squashed by the impact of the swarm of objects and the back wall. Starfire fires at Donna's bracelets, causing a ricochet effect that has energy blasts being bounced around the room, hitting a mass amount of HIVE Soldiers.

Cyborg lifts his arms and hundreds of hatches open in his body, revealing small missiles which fire out of his body and stun the soldiers. The whole team finally stop, Beast Boy tries to strike a group battle pose but the rest silently decline.

Cyborg: I say we split up, some of us head to the board room and the rest establish a...

Batman: No, we go together.

Cyborg: I need to rendezvous with my agent.

Batman: HIVE Emergency release would have activated by now, she's probably gone.

Starfire: So, to the board room... any guards?

Ten Years Earlier, somewhere

Beast Boy looks up to the sky, lying down. To his right a wonderful rainforest, filled with emerald green and earthly creatures. To his left a volcanic hell of a place where dinosaurs roam.

Beast Boy Narration:  
Y'know, I hate the sky here.

The sky above him is a peculiar patchwork of different things. In one section it's filled with smoke and in another a clear blue sky. In one of the sections the sky is pink and three rainbows run across it.

Beast Boy Narration:  
Is it heaven? Hell? Or My Little Pony land? We'll never know. I just want one consistent sky, a sky I can look up to and say, "Oh, that's what the sky looks like!" Sometimes you just see some weird... weirdness. Once I saw a harpy fighting a unicorn and I thought "The shark still looks fake". Why? Because I'm used to this by now.

The funny thing is it feels so... familiar. It feels like I've been here before. Oh, if you didn't know, I'm stuck in a pocket dimension that has no perception of time, on a patchwork world full of things that don't mix. It sounds like Starfire's cooking. Y'know, one day I'll look to my left and see, I dunno, Super Mario World and I'll look to my right and see... Los Angeles populated by Legend of Zelda characters.

I haven't seen either of those two, it'd be fricking awesome if I did, but you get the point. Now, we gotta find a nucleus to get out, Cyborg figured it out. It's supposed to have some kinda sentimental... whatever... to all of us.

Cyborg stands over Beast Boy, looking significantly younger and less armoured.

Cyborg: Wakey, wakey Gar. C'mon, we're gettin' outta here.

Beast Boy: You said that... a... whatever ago.

Cyborg: But we're getting out today, man.

Beast Boy: You said that too, bro.

Cyborg: Just get up.

Cyborg pulls Beast Boy to his feet, Beast Boy looks at Cyborg's armoured parts.

Beast Boy: Well... you DO need a good polish.

Cyborg: Very funny. C'mon the guy and girls are waitin' for you.

Beast Boy and Cyborg walk up to Nightwing, Wonder Girl, Starfire and Raven who all stand, chatting. They stand between two worlds, a mountainous landscape where snow constantly falls. The other world is a large desert-like area where a mammoth's corpse is picked at by a sloth.

Beast Boy: Any developments? Wait... don't tell me... NO.

Nightwing: Actually, yes.

Beast Boy: You always say that.

Nightwing: But it's true this time.

Beast Boy: So you admit you were lying the other times?

Nightwing: Shut up.

Beast Boy: No, I'd like to hear you answer that question.

Nightwing: Do you want to hear our idea?

Cyborg: Let him say it.

Nightwing: We've been doing some thinking, about the  
nucleus. So, we're all in here right? What do we all have in common?

Beast Boy: Cut to the chase, red ranger.

Nightwing: Fine. If it's supposed to have emotional and sentimental relevance to us, the nucleus has to be...?

Beast Boy: What?

Nightwing: It's Titans Tower.

Beast Boy: What's Titans Tower?

Cyborg: It has that effect on you, if you're there for long enough it tires to make you forget about the sentimental whatever...

Raven: It's pointless being happy about this.

Wonder Girl: Be positive, Raven.

Starfire: Negativity will not help us get through this.  
Raven: We have some idea of what it is but we do not know where it is.  
Beast Boy: Oh, now I know what Titans Tower is! Can't remember where it is!

Nightwing: I thought you were supposed to be our shining example of happiness.

Beast Boy: I stopped since we landed on Frankenstein Land.

Nightwing: You've been your happiest since we landed on Frankenstein Land and NOW you're losing hope?

Beast Boy Narration:  
I wish I could tell them I don't want to go.

Beast Boy: No... maybe. I don't know.

Beast Boy Narration:  
The fight around every corner, the different adventure every time... Feels like heaven to me. Best thing is, we HAVE to stick together. I mean, yeah, I do want to see the outside world again, I want to... eat pizza again but I sorta like it here too.

A Hut...

The Titans sleep, lying down in an empty hut in the middle of a desert world. The bright sun still shines and never goes down. Beast Boy lies face-up staring at the ceiling.

Beast Boy Narration:  
Couldn't find a world where the sun had set. Not this time.

Beast Boy yawns, where he finally rolls over and goes to sleep.

Beast Boy's Mind

Beast Boy wakes up, he sits in an interrogation room, his hands cuffed. He looks to his side, the rest of the Titans peer through a window and a shadowed figure walks towards the door. The door clicks and opens to reveal... TERRA MARKOV.

Beast Boy: No, no, no, NO!

Terra: Scared of me, babe?

Beast Boy looks to the titans disgusted.

Beast Boy: She's lying, she'll only betray...!

Terra: Didn't you miss me, sugar?

Beast Boy: No, not after what you did. No. Not now, not ever.

Terra: Fine. I guess you'll just stay cuffed.

Beast Boy: How... how are you here?

Terra: What do you fear most?

Beast Boy: ANSWER ME!

Terra: What do you fear most? I'm just gonna keep askin'.

Beast Boy: Deathstroke.

Terra: You're such a bad liar, sweetie.

Beast Boy: ...and you've got a degree in it.

Terra: Come on...

Beast Boy: Why the hell are you asking me this!?

Terra: Let me help you out. You live in a world with no perception of time, a world where you're forced to stay with your friends. What's not to love?

Beast Boy: I don't know what you're talking about.

Terra: Donna's getting married. Dick's becoming his own man. Wally's gone. Vic's got a one-way ticket to the Justice League. They're all moving on and you... you're still just a little kid not progressing, not moving, not aging. You're on your way to being alone. Now, what do you fear?

Beast Boy: Losing them.

Terra: What happened to me, Gar?

Beast Boy: I lost you.

Terra: You can't let them go, can you?

Beast Boy: No.

Terra: Don't. Stay here, in the pocket dimension. I'll stay with you.

Beast Boy: Okay...

Terra: I need you to keep a secret for me. Please?

Beast Boy: What?

Terra: You can't tell any of the titans, all right.

Beast Boy: What?

Terra: We both know where Titans Tower is.

Present Day, HIVE Base

Beast Boy and Cyborg stand together amongst the ruins of the battle they had just fought.

Beast Boy: So, you're super American military guy.

Cyborg: You could put it that way.

Beast Boy: ...and you're taller.

Cyborg: State of the art exoskeleton, almost unbreakable armor plating.

Batman: Comes with a price.

Cyborg: Excuse me?

Batman: You know what I'm talking about, Stone. You SOLD yourself to the government. State of the art yes, to be used against anybody within ARGUS or Checkmate? No.

Cyborg: To be used for the defence of the country.

Batman: Whatever you say, poster boy. I hear you've been working with Task Force X recently?

Cyborg: Shut up.

Batman: Cyberion.

Cyborg grabs him, realises the situation and then pulls back.

Cyborg: What the hell happened to you, man?

Batman stays silent. Beast Boy notices the anger on Cyborg's face and tries to intervene.

Beast Boy: So you're Robocop!

Cyborg: I'm not Robocop.

Beast Boy: You're Robocop!

Cyborg: Yeah, I'm totally Robocop!

Batman smiles, realises it and then returns to a blank expression.

Raven, Donna Troy and Starfire stand in a corner together.

Starfire: So, girls, how's it been?

Raven: Relatively the same for the past nine years.

A door smashes as a result of Raven's power.

Starfire: Okay... So, Donna, are you still with Kyle?

Donna: No, we ended it. Still see him around the watchtower though. What's up with you?

Starfire: Well, I WAS a part of the Tamaranian defence program but now there isn't a Tamaran so I've been doing some freelance monster hunting.

Donna: Sounds... eventful.

Starfire: Yeah!

Titans Tower, the nucleus, somewhere...

Terra Markov walks into a surveillance room, a masked man sits behind a large amount of screens. The screens monitor every world within the pocket dimension, one computer screen for each world.

Terra: They ain't going anywhere.

Masked man: Good, now the world...

The masked man stands up and turns around to reveal...

DEATHSTROKE THE TERMINATOR.

Deathstroke: ...will STAY RID of the Titans.

Deathstroke turns to a computer and clicks a few buttons, the screen becomes static.

Deathstroke: We've lost contact with them.

Terra: Hmph, well... d'ya think the universe has changed without 'em?

Deathstroke: Everything changes without the Titans.

**How did Deathstroke get to the pocket universe? How did Terra come back from the dead? All will be answered soon enough in THE NEW TITANS!**


	3. The Times are a Changin' Part 3

**The New Titans Issue Three: The Times they are a Changin': Part Three**

Present Day, HIVE Base, Senior Room

A loud boom is heard and the HIVE senior members drop onto the floor, only one remains sitting. She is a young, late-20s woman named Lilah McDonald. Lilah pulls out her watch and presses a button. A crystal-white door appears. Lilah walks towards the door and steps inside.

HIVE Base, Senior Room

Five cloaked, hooded men stand in the middle of a darkly lit room, praying to a raging yellow fire. Next to the fire is a baby, wearing a type of religious robes. One of the men kneels and holds a dagger, praying to the baby instead. All of a sudden, the white door appears in the room and Lilah walks out of it. Lilah bows and the men bow back.

Lilah: Call the Queen.

A booming noise is heard and then a wall explodes, on the other side, The Titans. Donna instantly notices the baby, she cringes and launches herself towards the hooded man with a dagger, grabbing him by the throat. Donna pulls the dagger from the man's hand and holds it to the hooded man, screaming.

Donna: I'll do it. I'll f*cking do it!

Donna looks to the baby and is tamed. She drops the dagger, and grabs the baby, crying.

Batman: Lilah.

Lilah: Batman.

Batman: What do you know about...?

Lilah: As much as you do.

Batman scowls.

Batman: You have the HIVE Queen, you have the Oracle room and you have the millions of sources at your hand and you don't know anything!?

Batman pushes Lilah against the wall, angry. Lilah, despite her situation, remains calm.

Lilah: If we knew something, we'd do something about it. Y'know... we're not just death worshipping pieces of sh*t, this is our world too.

Batman lets go, Lilah falls to the floor.

Starfire: Are you just going to leave it at...!?

Batman: She's telling the truth, Starfire.

Beast Boy: So, what do we do now?

Batman: Leave.

Batman walks up to Donna, still shaken and holding the baby. The rest of the Titans leave the room.

Donna: I'm sorry... I just couldn't...

Batman: I know.

Donna: I don't know what to do, Dick.

Batman: Tell them.

Donna: I'm not ready.

Batman: It's only going to get worse. No matter how much we've changed, whatever happened to us, you can trust us.

Donna: I know. It's just that... with what's going on right now... I can't just TELL them.

Batman: Donna, this is the kind of behaviour that ends worlds... and you KNOW I'm not exaggerating. No secrets, no lies. Not after what we saw.

Present Day, Titans Tower, Donna's Room

Donna Troy sits on her own in her old room. She looks to her side, a crib, empty and a teddy bear sits in it. Donna breaks down and cries, putting her head in her hands. Donna pulls out a phone and puts it to her ear.

Donna: Kyle?

Kyle Rayner: Yeah? Donna?

Donna: I... I just wanted to say that... I wanted to ask... we're still friends, right?

Kyle Rayner: Yes... Donna, are you alright?

Donna: Yeah. I just need a friend right now.

Kyle Rayner: Okay. Do you want me to...?

Donna hangs up, putting the phone down.

Present Day, Outside Titans Tower

The Titans sit and stand outside, excluding Donna. They all stay silent in an awkward manner. Cyborg stands with his arms folded, surveying his guns. Raven floats at the end of the cliff, just thinking.

Batman stands with his cape draped over him, standing in the shadows. And finally, Beast Boy, constantly trying to start conversation. Donna walks out of Titans Tower, standing tall, unafraid.

Donna: I need to tell you something. Something important.

Eight Years Earlier

Donna and Terry Long drive in a car, with their son, Robert in the back seat, he's about a year old. They drive through a highway, cars speeding past them. Terry drives.

Donna: Thanks.

Terry: For what?

Donna: Letting me see him.

Terry: Donna, you're his mother. No matter what happened between us, he's still your son.

Donna: I'm just thankful you let me stay in his life. Really,  
Terry. I appreciate this.

Terry: Just being a father, Donna. Just being a father.

Donna smiles, Terry doesn't smile back.

Terry: What the...?

Donna freezes as the car feels an impact and then the front of the car caves in. Terry screams until he is knocked unconscious after hitting his head against the wheel, the airbag trying to pop out but instantly deflating.

Donna notices a fire starting on the car's exterior, but is powerless and still is unable to move. All of sudden a river of golden fire floods the car, Donna remaining untouched screams.

Donna: ROBERT!

Donna then tries to move, she still can't, Terry still leans over, being crushed by the impact. She then tries to turn around, she tries to see her son but her body won't let her neck move. A shower of glass leaps toward her as the car bends in her shape, nothing but her clothes being ruined.  
Another impact towards the end of the car.

Then, in an elastic-like movement Donna is thrust out of the car by the impact, finally being able to move and then looking back as the car that holds her ex-husband and son bursts into flames.

The semi truck that caused the collision now sets alight and the driver speeds out, disappearing. The semi explodes, further setting the car on fire. Donna hits the floor a few yards away from the accident, her skin finally gives as she starts to bleed.

Before she gets the chance to turn around, she hears a damning second explosion and she drops, unconscious.

Present Day, Outside Titans Tower

Donna and the Titans stand with each other.

Donna: I searched for years, thinking that someone put a hit on me, meant to kill me. I... I couldn't handle that it was just a... a car crash. Something that happens to people every day. I hunted down the driver and beat him, trying to get answers that I wanted to get.

I wanted it to be something I could fight, something I could rise up from but it just wasn't. I killed a lot of people for nothing, sure they were terrorists, madmen and demons but I'll always regret it.

Starfire walks up to Donna and hugs her.

Starfire: I'm sorry, I had no idea...

Donna: It's okay. It's not your fault.

Starfire: You should've... should've called us when it happened, we could've helped you.

Donna: I know, that's why I'm telling you now, I'm telling you because I know you can help me. I know we can help each other. No secrets, no lies. We can't afford to hide from each other now. No, not now. Not after what we saw.

Ten Years Earlier, Somewhere, a Hut...

Beast Boy lies on the floor looking at the ceiling, the rest of the Titans lie on the floor with him.

Beast Boy: Who wants to bet that ceiling was made of cow stuff?

The Titans stay silent.

Beast Boy: No? Fine.

Wonder Girl: I miss Terry.

The rest of the Titans look to her.

Wonder Girl: I'm supposed to be getting married to him and I'm stuck in this pocket dimension.

Starfire: You will find him, Donna, I can promise you that.

Wonder Girl: We could've been here for years and we wouldn't even know. He could be an old man...

Nightwing: Donna, that's not going to happen, I WON'T let it happen. These things just come with time.

Raven: The possibilities of the pocket dimension are that the victims, if used in that way, didn't exist to the outside world. You probably never met Terry Long.

Nightwing: Thanks for your much needed optimism.

Beast Boy: Y'know what I miss? New York City.

Cyborg: Why is that?

Beast Boy: That long cliff that stares at the city, your hair blowing in the wind, the breeze you feel. I like riding up there, WITH MY FRIENDS.

Cyborg: What friends? You don't have any friends other than us.

Beast Boy: Yes I do, I just haven't told you about them.

Cyborg: Who?

Beast Boy: Jerry, George, Kramer and...

Nightwing: We've seen Seinfeld, Gar.

Terra suddenly appears and uses her powers to shake the  
foundations of the desert-like patch they're on.

Beast Boy: Terra?

Cyborg: I think we should get out of the hut!

Nightwing: Titans, Go!

The Titans run to the outside of the Hut, it collapses and the Earthquake stops.

Starfire: Must you say that for everything?

Beast Boy: Gee, maybe we should go to the New York we were in a few whatevers ago.

Cyborg: What's your obsession with New York?

Their conversation is short-lived as a metal man the size of an army of mammoths ravages the desert, creating a wave of sand, trudging through it.  
The bronze metal shines in the blisteringly hot sun, creating a blinding fiery light that burns the eyes. Every step it makes creates a shockwave until it stops, noticing the Titans and letting out an ear-piercing howl.

Beast Boy: I'm guessing that's not good.

The metal man stamps, creating a sand-wave that consumes the Titans, burying them under a thin layer. The Titans struggle to get out of the sand, the metal man stamping again, launching them into the air. Mid-air, Starfire and Raven lift Cyborg, Nightwing and Wonder Girl while Beast Boy turns into a pterodactyl.

The sand creates a cloud of golden mist, disorienting the Titans, while the metal man sweeps at them, his hand colliding with Starfire who drops Nightwing as a result. Beast Boy, as a pterodactyl, quickly creates a base for Nightwing to land on, carrying him away from the sand cloud. Nightwing stands up, ties some rope around the young pterodactyl and uses him as a vehicle.

Starfire, still holding Wonder Girl gets behind the metal man, giving Wonder Girl a chance to drop onto it. Nightwing swerves Beast Boy toward the face of the metal man, distracting him while Wonder Girl crawls up the back of it and up to the neck. Raven drops Cyborg, leaving him to drop kick the metal man, pushing him back a bit.

Starfire fires towards its eyes, confusing it for a second. Wonder Girl then reaches the neck and draws her sword, stabbing the middle. A second of confusion. The metal man stops, staggers and plummets to the ground, the Titans clear the area, however Donna still is on its back, clutching to its wound. Impact is made as the metal man hits the sand, creating a shockwave that blows the Titans to the ground.

Cyborg: So... New York.

Titans Tower, the Nucleus, somewhere

Deathstroke sharpens his katana blade against a large rock, while Terra walks into the room.

Deathstroke: What did you tell him?

Terra: I left a mental note.

Deathstroke: You gave away where the nucleus was, now it's only a matter of time before they gets here.

Terra: I only said it so he thought he could trust me. Damn, what do I do now?

Deathstroke: Nothing. Sit back, watch the surveillance. I'll handle it.

New York City, Somewhere...

Beast Boy and The Titans stand at the edge of the patchwork piece of New York. The cold breeze brushes past and the busy rush of New York is done by ghosts, as cars appear to drive themselves. The bright sun stands out amongst the various other suns above their respective world, showing a piece of nostalgia to the titans. Further down, The Titans notice a T-shape.

Cyborg: Titans Towe...

Cyborg is knocked down by an EMP blast, then a frenzy in all of Nightwing gadget pouches. The fall Cyborg's large half-man half-machine body reveals Deathstroke.

Nightwing: Slade.

Deathstroke: It's a school night.

Deathstroke swiftly kicks back Starfire, knocking her into Wonder Girl while drawing his sword. Nightwing jumps at him with a drop kick, to which Deathstroke catches Nightwing's feet and throws him aside. Raven levitates some large rocks but Deathstroke uppercuts her before she has the chance.

Beast Boy, transforming into a lion, pounces at Deathstroke but Deathstroke hits him with an electric escrima stick. Cyborg gets up and reveals a sonic cannon and blasts, which knocks Deathstroke over, but he is quickly on his feet to blast Cyborg with his EMP gun again, rendering him unconscious.

Wonder Girl draws her sword, to which Deathstroke draws his. Wonder Girl is the first to strike but Deathstroke quickly and cleanly blocks it, kicking Wonder Girl back, and then striking her, cutting a deep wound in her arm.

Wonder Girl goes to strike again but Deathstroke leaps behind her, kicking her back, sending her to the floor. Nightwing is back, disarming Deathstroke with a wingding, he then manages to land a hit but Deathstroke hits back harder, making Dick lose a tooth.  
Raven launches a large rock at Deathstroke, swiftly, he kicks it back, rendering her unconscious.

Starfire fires a few blasts but Deathstroke quickly picks up his sword, deflecting them and firing them right back it her. Starfire manages to block a couple but it thrust back by two more.  
Nightwing tries to get back up, but Deathstroke strikes him with his electric-powered escrima stick and Nightwing is down.

Titans Tower, the Nucleus

As Nightwing wakes up he clutches his head, rolling over in pain. The rest of the Titans sit in a corner, attending to their wounds. They all are in a cage in Deathstroke's darkly lit surveillance room. Terra sits across from them, spinning on a desk chair.

Terra: So, how are you old friends?

Starfire: Terra!?

Cyborg: Help us out of here! Please!

Terra: No can do, tin man. We thought we could let you run free like chickens but you got too close.

Beast Boy: You! You tricked me!

Terra: On the contrary, I tried to get you as far away from here as possible but you wouldn't listen, would you? We offered you kids the best heaven possible... BUT you wanted out.

Nightwing: What the hell are you talking about?

Terra: Look around you, that place you're livin' on is a patchwork monster of all of your memories with each other.  
Nothing's perfect, I see.

Cyborg: Why are we in here? Why are you in here?

Terra: Sugar, you're in here because the user demands it. We can't tell you any more than that.

Cyborg: Because the user demands it? Who's the user?

Terra: Can't tell you that, darlin'. The user has activated protocol 241.

Beast Boy: Protocol 241? What the hell is that?

Terra: Can't tell you that either, sugar.

Nightwing: How the hell are you still alive!? You died, crushed to death, you killed yourself.

Terra: ...and yet I'm here, in the flesh.

Beast Boy: Who brought you back!?

Terra: You did, Gar, you ALL did. After all, you made me immortal.

**Who brought Terra back and who is the grand master behind this all? Why is Deathstroke protecting the nucleus and how will the Titans get out? Keep reading The New Titans to find out!**


	4. The Times are a Changin' Part 4

**The New Titans Issue Four: The Times they are a Changin': Part Four**

**Ten Years Earlier, Titans Tower, the Nucleus, Somewhere...**

* * *

The Titans sit battered, beaten and bloody. Cyborg lies, almost unmoving, his joints cracking each time he moves. Raven, almost unable to control her emotions, her face turning slightly red. Starfire can't stop bleeding from her mouth, blood infinitely pouring out. Nightwing, a few ribs broken, trying to stand tall despite his injuries. Beast Boy grabs his stomach grunting as Wonder Girl tries to help him, a deep wound in her arm.

Wonder Girl: C'mon Gar, it's okay.

Beast Boy vomits, and then spits blood.

Beast Boy: Arghhh! F*ck!

Wonder Girl: Gar, you can do this!

Nightwing stares, angrily out of the cage they are stuck in, through its bars. Watching, silently, peering.

Nightwing Narration:

Bruce does this a lot, I don't know how he can put all of his problems away, in the heat of the moment, just to think, to analyse. To be the world's greatest detective.

Beast Boy: It hurts, Donna. It hurts.

Nightwing Narration:

I can't do it, I can't think of a plan to get out of here, I can't just see the little things in somebody's hideout and just think of a way to get out. Now they're all relying on me. They're staring at me, thinking I have a plan, like a leader.

Cyborg: Dick, what do we do?

Nightwing: I don't know.

Starfire: Please, Dick. Just try to...

Nightwing: I... don't... know.

Beast Boy: C'mon, you've got to have a...

Nightwing: I DON'T KNOW! I DON'T KNOW!

Raven: It's pointless to be angry about this, the chances were that we were never going to get out of...

Beast Boy: SHUT THE F*CK UP!

Deathstroke walks in with Terra, the dark lighting making him look even more intimidating and menacing, Terra laughs at the Titans, jumping onto a desk chair and spinning.

Deathstroke: We've lost contact with them, again. It looks like the dimension effects are phasing in and out.

Terra: Speak English, Slade.

Deathstroke: The universe is changing, and changing back without them.

Terra: Why?

Deathstroke: The users WERE in a rush.

Nightwing: Slade.

Deathstroke: What, child?

Nightwing: Why are you staying here watching us in this Frankenstein dimension?

Deathstroke: Why would I tell you that?

Nightwing: Why not?

Deathstroke: Protocol 241.

Nightwing: What the hell is that?

Deathstroke: Have to stay in the rules, unfortunately. I'd prefer to kill you right here, but I can't.

Beast Boy: So, Terra tells us...

Deathstroke: I'm done answering your questions, children.

Beast Boy: What if we get hungry?

Deathstroke: You know hunger doesn't exist here.

Cyborg gets up, runs to the bars and tries to punch then, to be instantly electrocuted. Starfire blasts them, but her blast bounces back hitting her. Nightwing runs to her and grabs her.

Nightwing: Kory!

Starfire: I am unhurt, Dick.

Raven: ENOUGH!

Raven finally lets go of her emotional wall and knocks it down, screaming and reaching out her arms. Their portion of the room bends into a spherical shape, like a shockwave. Raven lifts Terra and throws her aside, Deathstroke tries to shoot her, she stops the bullets and throws them at him, hitting his Kevlar.

While Deathstroke is on the floor, Nightwing leaps at, him, trying to punch him but Deathstroke rolls out of the way, Nightwing hurting his hand while hitting the floor. Deathstroke kicks Nightwing in the back of the head, knocking him over but he is quickly on his feet. While dodging a punch, Nightwing sweep kicks Deathstroke who drops but flips forward, landing on Nightwing.

Getting to his feet, Nightwing dodges a few punches until Deathstroke draws his sword and starts striking at Dick. Nightwing notices a metal staff, he jumps, lifts it and blocks a strike from Deathstroke. Nightwing then tries to beat Deathstroke with the staff, who blocks every hit, every strike. Nightwing sees his opportunity and sweeps at Deathstroke's head, sending Deathstroke to the floor.

Deathstroke: Amateur. You're nothing. You'll lead these kids of a cliff. What kind of leader are you?

Nightwing yells a cry of anger and drops his staff onto Deathstroke's head, his head caves in, and his eyes lose life.

Starfire: Dick!

Deathstroke: I... am... immortal... I... am...

Sparks fly from Deathstroke's head, revealing a cyborg-like interior.

Nightwing: It's... itsa... it's a robot?  
Nightwing falls to the floor, his hand on his head.

Beast Boy: Does that mean...?

Beast Boy turns into a polar bear and rips Terra's head off, he neck exploding as her head flies and her body fall to the floor, CLANG! The rest of the Titans look to him, awkwardly.

Beast Boy: I.. uh... I needed that.

Starfire approaches Nightwing, hyperventilating in the corner, just sitting there. Sweat rolls from his forehead, he wipes it as he coughs.

Starfire: Are you okay?

Nightwing: I was going to kill him.

Starfire: But you didn't.

Nightwing: What if he was real? What if he didn't miraculously turn out to be a cyborg? What then?

Starfire: But he was not the real Slade, that is the point.

Nightwing: What if I'd done it? What if I'd allowed myself to go that far?

Starfire: Then I would have helped you through it like I am now, we all would have.

Nightwing turns to Cyborg, fiddling with Deathstroke's master computer, he looks irritated.

Nightwing: What's going on?

Cyborg: The technology's glitchy. It's phasing out between two different versions of our universe, our dimension.

Nightwing: Which one is the right one?

Cyborg: No idea.

Beast Boy: How about we send out a call to both and see who answers first?

Cyborg: D'you have any idea how dumb that sounds?

Wonder Girl: Vic is right, that's one of the most stupid things I've heard.

Nightwing: It's the only choice we have. We're just going to have to take our chances.

Present Day, Titans Tower

Batman, Starfire, Cyborg, Donna Troy, Beast Boy and Raven all stand in the control room of Titans Tower. They watch a panel, all standing stoically but silently screaming in terror. The beeping and flashing of the devices only serves to unnerve the past Titans as they wait and wait. A device frantically beeps, the Titans sigh to their selves and then a phone call ring.

Batman: Don't. Do. Anything.

Raven looks around the room, buckets of sweat pouring from her as she stares at the rest of the Titans, trying to keep her emotion in check. Raven swiftly turns and thrusts the Titans aside as she runs for the controls frantically, her cloak sweeping through the air. Batman throws a batarang, shocked, Raven crushes it.

Batman: Don't you dare do it!

Raven: I'll f*cking do it!

Sparks fly out of some of the devices, Raven's losing control of her power.

Cyborg: Haven't you even thought of the consequences!? What can happen to the timeline?

Starfire: It could cause a paradox that could rip everything apart, you don't know the risks!

Raven: We'll deal with the consequences after I SAVE THE EARTH!

Raven's skin turns red, her face grows more vulgar and aged.  
Donna steps toward Raven with sombre eyes.

Raven: Stay back! STAY THE F*CK BACK!

Batman: What the hell are you doing!? Do you want ot end the world early!?

Donna: It's okay, Raven. It's alright. We'll solve this together, like we ALWAYS do. We WILL solve this. But this, Raven... you're going to cause more harm than good here.

Raven: You KNOW what's coming! I... I... can't handle it. Not now, no... not now.

Donna: Yes you can. We ALL can.

Titans Tower lifts from the ground as a result of Raven's mental breakdown.

Donna: Okay?

Raven gulps, hyperventilating, she hears the device ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Until it stops, Raven sighing. Donna heads towards Raven, hugging her.

Donna: We're going to help you. That's what we're for.

The rest of the Titans release a breath and get to their feet.

HIVE Base, Present Day

A HIVE Worker runs up and down a floor on the HIVE Base, scared, petrified, doomed. People run left and right trying to take cover, trying to hide from the oncoming apocalypse. Lilah McDonald sits on a step, smoking a cigarette, without a care in the world. The man approaches her.

Man: Ma'am, you really should get out of the building.

Lilah: ...and go where? There's no escaping death unless you're his buddy. C'mon, sit down, enjoy the apocalypse. What's your name, Coleman, right?  
Coleman: Yes ma'am.

Lilah: C'mon, sit down, want one?

Lilah pulls out a cigarette and a light, he accepts and takes one out and lights it.

Coleman: So... it's the end?  
Lilah: Looks like it.

Coleman: What do you think people are doing right now? The people that don't know.

Lilah: Probably mowing their lawn.

Coleman: At 11 at night?

Lilah: There ARE some odd guys out there. Yeah, they'll mow their lawn when all hell breaks loose.

Coleman: So, since it's ending anyway... why?

Lilah: Eh?

Coleman: Why is it ending?

Lilah: Take that head of New York branch badge with a grain of salt because the Queen doesn't tell me anything. All I know is that it's the Titans' fault. It's always the Titans' fault with HIVE.

Coleman: Hmph. Now you've filled me with ideas.

Lilah: Yeah? Well they're probably believable.

Coleman: Answer me this.

Lilah: What?

Coleman: Why can't we just change the past?

Lilah: What?

Coleman: I mean, we've got a time-machine. We've got every Star Trek device under the sun! Why can't we just go to the past, put them in a box and it never happens. HIVE never ends without taking over the world at least once and we all go on with our dumb lives without even knowing this happened?

Ten Years Earlier, Titans Tower, the Nucleus, Somewhere...

The Titans stand around Deathstroke's master computer, frustrated, angry and at once tired. They look like they've been standing there for millennia, just waiting for contact.

Beast Boy: Well, I'm just about ready to...

A giant red clawed hand reaches out and grabs the Titans, a portal appearing behind it. The Titans scream as they are thrust into a flood of confusion, terror and awkwardness. The eyes of a demon fly past them as they roll into a dimensional tunnel, the same red hand pulling at them and dragging them through the tunnel of nightmares.

Cyborg tries to fire his sonic cannon at the hand but it proves ineffective. Starfire also blasts the hand, it takes it. However many punches, lasers and kicks are thrown the hand still takes it, pulling the team through the time tunnel. It seems that demons fly past them chuckling at the Titans, some pulling their hair. The fires of hell float around them twisting and turning, the Titans still scream. They scream. They scream. They scream. They fall. Falling into a deep black hole with a seemingly endless bottom.

They fall. They fall. Nightwing turns towards Starfire and reaches for her. They fall. They fall. They all look down to see a rocky, desert-like bottom and they collide with it, the impact taking mass amounts of energy. They scream as they hit the bottom to be silenced. Nightwing looks to Starfire, bleeding from his mouth reaching to her until passing out. Unconscious.  
Suddenly, a bright light. A giant beam in the sky that lifts them.

Nightwing Narration:

I've never really believed in god. I thought I'd stopped after my parents died but I'd never really believed. But now. Here, with them, with Kory. I could pass right here. If this light above me is going to heaven I will embrace with open arms and ascend. The difference between me and Bruce is that this wouldn't be a good death for him. He would never accept it and he would endure the tortures of hell to get a second chance, for me though, right now, this moment, this is a good death.

Starfire Narration:  
Here, right now, I feel completed. I feel accomplished. I feel that I've earned my rest and now I'm sleeping, sleeping now. Just asleep. Put to sleep by my parents and now I'm coming home, I feel that my journey is over and I can go now. I can go.

Cyborg Narration:

It's been short, but it's been good. After all the heartbreak, the tin-men, the Titans, the failed football career, I can shut down my hard-drive and close the computer. I'm the kid with the best computer out there, I'm the kid on the block that has that computer that you're jealous of. I've never let myself be put down and I've enjoyed every second of life. Maybe I can enjoy every second of the afterlife too.

Wonder Girl Narration:

I can't help but think of the things I'll miss but I can't help but think of the things I have to look forward to. I've spent my whole life looking for who I am, for where I came from. Hera, forgive me, Hera, give me strength.

Raven Narration:

All of my life I have been taught not to show my emotion, not to love, not to hate. But I CARE. I've cared all of my life, why do you think I put the Titans back together? I wasn't scared. I cared about these people, these humans, Azarath. I care. But now, when I die, when I'm expected to care. I don't. Yes. I embrace it.

Beast Boy Narration:

So it's the end. Not exactly the blaze of glory I was hoping for but nevertheless... the end! I don't know what to say. I got what I wanted, I got it. I get to die with my friends, Dick, Donna, Kory, Vic, Raven... I gotta say though, I wish Wally and Roy were here, maybe I can send them a postcard. Ah, I've done so much in 15 years but so... little. There's more I want to do. I want to end HIVE, I want to fight Brother Blood again... I just want to stop a mugging! It's the end but I don't want it to be. I just don't want this to end.

Fingers click in the Titans' face as they awake from their delusional unconscious state.

Man: You awake?

Beast Boy: We're not dead?

Man: No.

Nightwing: Where are we?

Man: They used to call it the Watchtower.

**NEXT: THE USER REVEALED. **


	5. The Times are a Changin' Part 5

**The New Titans Issue Five: The Times they are a Changin': Part Five**

**Ten Years Earlier, the Prison of the souls of Azarath**

* * *

A monk rushes through a corridor, passing an almost countless amount of other monks as he does so. The golden lighting fizzles and fades as the flames that illuminate the room rise and fall. Dust descends from the ceiling and the corridor rocks, almost like an earthquake is taking place. The monks murmur, some trying to stop the monk from going in the opposite direction but he resists, reaching a large door.

It creaks. Creaks. Creaks. The door opens. It reveals a group of monks, their cloaks soaked in blood as they lie dead on the floor. Above them stands, stoically, covered in blood, the flames of hell in his eyes, his red skin like the devil. Above them stands Trigon.

Trigon: The universe has changed, I can feel it. Where is Raven?

The monk stays silent.

Trigon: WHERE IS RAVEN!?

Monk: I don't know!

Trigon hisses as the monk drops dead on the floor, his eyes replaced with his own blood. Trigon lifts his arms and is consumed by flames, taken into a portal of some sort.

The Watchtower

Nightwing wakes up, he lies on a cushioned floor among his fellow Titans, below them are rags, made as beds for them and above them, a man who watches them sleep.

Man: Had a good nap?

Nightwing: Sorry, I... we're exhausted.

Man: That tends to happen when you come out of a portal, then zapped into another. You guys thought you were dead.

Nightwing: This is the Watchtower?

Man: Well, that's what they used to call it.

Nightwing: Goddammit, how long were we in there?

Man: Sorry?

Nightwing: We were stuck in a pocket dimension for... an amount of years.

Man: Damn. We thought you kids were from another galaxy or somethin'.

Nightwing: No, well... one of us is... and another is from another dimension... Why?

Man: We thought they'd sent help.

Nightwing: Why?

Man: Wow, you really WERE stuck in there for a long time. Don't you know? The demon-alien things that came down and took over?

Nightwing: Who?

Man: Well, no idea, they don't tell me nothin'. I just attend to their wounds. The guys down in Earth probably know, it's a f*cking warzone down there. Excuse my French.

Nightwing: Warzone?

Man: Well, the Justice League, Justice Society, the Justice League International, the Justice League Task Force, the Jus... well, y'know what I mean, every guy who was just able to fight was sent down there. It was beautiful.

Nightwing: Global annihilation? That was beautiful?

Man: The globe united. Everybody did their part and... y'know some fled but that's not important. Everybody. The best part is, most of the folk volunteered. Suddenly you saw the JLA teaming up with the Legion of... whatever, never did get a name did they? Anyway the point is that the world was united against a common threat, the world just kinda lost.

Nightwing: So, why are you up here?

Man: Us? Well, they sent all the people that can't fight up where they can't get hurt, in the middle of space. Every place outside of Earth we had, they sent us there. The Watchtower, like they called it, is the only gateway to Earth we have.

Nightwing: So, why are you here?

Man: Well, I used to be doctor back in my day. We take a lot of the injured.

Nightwing: Can I ask you a question?

Man: Sure.

Nightwing: Group of people fall from the sky, a cyborg, a genetically altered teenager, an alien, an Amazon and a half-demon. What makes you so quick to trust us?

Man: Don't know, just used to trustin' people with colourful costumes.

Through a battered door walk two people. One, a man in red with a short goatee and long hair, he wears a domino mask and his armour is weathered. He seems like a veteran, his arm is gone but yet, a bow and quiver sit on his back. The other, a red and yellow armour clad man, with ginger hair and an irresistible smile on his face, sparks fly off his boots.

Man: These two are Wally and Roy.

HIVE Base, Present Day

Coleman and Lilah stand in a darkly lit room, the lights coming off a faulty time-machine providing the only light. Next to them, a HIVE soldier, holding a large piece of equipment, his bright yellow armour.

Coleman: So how does it work?

Lilah: You find them, pop them in a box and it's over. Apocalypse never happens.

Coleman looks unsure.

Lilah: Lighten up, you're saving the galaxy.

Coleman: Do you know how much crap we're going to be in when the Queen doesn't get her apocalypse?

Lilah: Who cares? We're not killing them. Besides, we get to live. Coleman, we're running out of time, here.

Coleman: What if there's a parado...?

Lilah: It was your idea, Coleman. We've been pushed... and pushed... and pushed to desperation here, this is the only chance we have to live. Besides, for once, just for once... I want to SAVE the world.

Coleman pauses for a second to think.

Coleman: Okay.

Lilah: Hey, soldier guy... remember to activate protocol 241. Got it?

The HIVE Soldier nods.

Lilah: Around ten years, Coleman?

Coleman nods. Lilah presses a few buttons on the time-machine, it glows for a second, hurting her eyes due to the light contrast, then, a large portal explodes in the centre, blowing Lilah and Coleman away. The building shakes, the portal whirring, the HIVE soldier quickly jumps in, Lilah running to the controls to close the portal after him. She presses a button, the portal closes, creating a five second tornado that ravages the room and destroys the time-machine in a carnival of fire.

Lilah: Did we do it? Did it change?

Titans Tower

Dick Grayson sits in his old bunk, wearing his Batman costume with his cowl taken down. The bright light of nostalgia looms over him as he tries to ignore it, tries to stay cold and emotionless. A case lies on the floor, peering out at him, dragging his eyes with the power of a freight-train towards it. He closes his eyes for a few seconds, still trying to ignore the case but he cannot resist, he walks over to it and unlocks it, it opens.

The case reveals his old Nightwing suit, after the collar and before the blue and black. It strikes a medium between the two suits with the blue primary colour and a large yellow stripe running across the chest and around the shoulders to the back. Blue highlights lie on the wrist and ankle area.

Dick Narration:

My second Nightwing suit. I thought the collar was getting ridiculous, it blocked my line of sight from the side and honestly, it was annoying. I wore this in the last year or so of the Titans, still trying to hold onto my teenage years but still peeking into adulthood. The last year was the worst year of my life. We all really wanted to leave but we wanted to hold onto the innocence, the happiness of childhood for just a second longer.

I guess we weren't even teenagers at that point. It's funny, just to see how far we've come from then, I guess we already saw how far we'd come but we promised ourselves not to. We promised we'd always stay together. The thing is, showing us that we'd split up, showing us that we'd grow up, pushed us farther away. Today, it's brought us together. It's brought us ALL together.

The Watchtower

All of the Titans sit, awake now, as The Flash, Wally West and Roy Harper stand across from them, both parties equally shocked.

Beast Boy: So, are we all just going to stay quiet?

Wally: What the hell are you guys doing here!?

Beast Boy: We kinda came through a portal, out of some pocket dimension.

Wally: Gar, how old are you?

Beast Boy: 15, why?

Wally: This one is 15... the other is 27... 12 years. 12 years in the future.

Cyborg: Told you it was a risk.

Nightwing: It was the only choice we had.

Cyborg: But now we're in some effed up future!

Wonder Girl: Would someone do the honour of actually telling us what happened?

Roy: It was... it was Trigon. He came 3 years ago, we don't know what happened, it just... happened. After around a year of the world not knowing what to do, we finally learned how to work together and... yeah. Here we are now.

Wally: Uh, excuse me.

Wally leaves and walks into the gigantic, empty command room of the Justice League, devices that have had better days hang from the ceiling and on the walls, beaten up and half-destroyed. Most of the lights have been depleted but one still blinks. Wally presses that one, lone button, he presses it, it lets out a dreadful sound but then stops.

Wally: Uh, it's time, they're here. Just, they're... Yes I know you remember but... okay, beaming you up now.

Wally presses another button, which looks to be a combination of broken glass and torn wires.

The Titans still sit with Roy, waiting for Wally.

Beast Boy: You probably get this a lot but...

Roy: Don't ask me how I lost my arm.

Beast Boy: I was going to ask how you fire your arrows.

Roy: I use my teeth.

Beast Boy: Isn't that a bit awkward? I mean, why don't you use a gun or something?

Roy: Nah, I prefer my bow.

Raven: If my father is here, then there is no point in fighting back. He will take...

Roy: Raven, I have 3 years of experience and a missing arm to know that there's no point in fighting back, but why do I? Because that's what we do. Don't tell me there's not one part of hope left in you. Not one part of humanity.

Not one part of you that wants to fight back. You can drop the act, Raven, your dad's already taken over, already pushed humanity to the brink of existence. Now admit it. Admit that there's a piece of hope in you.

Titans Tower, Present Day

Dick Grayson still sits in his bunk, a suitcase in the corner. He lifts the suitcase and throws it onto his old bed. He opens it, revealing a new red Nightwing suit.

Dick Narration:

I made this suit when I first put on the cowl, if it went too dark, if I went too far. If I BECAME Batman. It'd be here. Right now, I don't even know why I'm still wearing this goddamn suit. Bruce is back, alive and kicking. He's already initiated one of his crazy ideas, making Batman a corporation. Batman Incorporated, I told him, jokingly. He then named it that, of course.

I suppose I was right, yes, I was right. I thought about this the first time I put on the cowl, the very first time. At the end, at the very end, I would give up being Batman. But when Bruce is bleeding, shot, beaten, bloodied, at his last breath, he wouldn't. Anyway, I came here. When I first put on the cowl, just to visit, just to reminisce and I knew I'd come here at the very end, and I left this here. I knew that at the very end, I would stop being Batman.

Dick pulls the Bat cowl from his neck.

Dick Narration:

Deep down, Bruce Wayne IS Batman. Deep down, I'm not.  
The Titans sit around the outside of Titans Tower, waiting for their doom.

Dick Grayson: Are you people ready-?

The Titans turn around to reveal Nightwing, wearing a red and black uniform, the red stands out in contrast to the black, black as night. His face, the face of an angel, an angel of the night. He holds his escrima sticks, a small red light at the end, charging a red electric pulse and his eyes, blank white.

Nightwing: -say hello to NIGHTWING!

Dick Narration:

This is who I am now. This is the man I became. Dick Grayson is still there, he'll always be there, but deep down, in the darkest depths... I am Nightwing.

The Watchtower, 12 Years in the Future!

Wally walks into the room with Roy and the Titans. He takes Roy out, to talk to him.

Wally: They're coming.

Roy: Why did you bring them here? They NEED them down there.

Wally: I need to tell you something.

Inside the room, the Titans sit, murmuring among themselves.  
Wonder Girl: They're acting strange.

Beast Boy: Thanks, captain obvious.

Wonder Girl: What do you think they're hiding?

Beast Boy: I don't know.

Roy walks in to the room, pacing, obviously angry. Sweat drips from his forehead as he takes his mask off, sitting down, annoyed.

Nightwing: Roy.

Roy looks to him, disgusted.

Nightwing: Roy, are you okay?

Roy: Yeah... yeah... fine.

Wally walks in, stressed. He sits down, his head in his hands.

Nightwing: Guys, are you okay?

Five people walk into the room, battle worn, tired, slouching. Some bleeding, some angry, some injured. They all stand, very adult, very grown up.

?: On your feet soldiers-

It's the Titans, they all stand, battle worn, older, more dangerous and more separated than ever.

Batman: -You've just been drafted into a war.

* * *

**3 teams of Titans! How will the past Titans get back to their own time and how will the present Titans escape their destiny!? Keep reading THE NEW TITANS to find out!**


	6. The Times are a Changin' Part 6

**The New Titans Issue Six: The Times they are a Changin': Part Six**

* * *

**What's left of Gotham City, 3 years into the future**

Demons fly through the black clouds in the red sky, forming dooming shadows to the broken city below them. The sun, dark, dark as night floats above them, blocked by the still moon. Ravaged buildings lie below them, some reduced to rubble, the rubble reduced to dust. The last survivors of humanity cower in these piles of rubble that people used to call home, moving from building to building. On top of the building, a myth crouches, his wings blowing in the wind.

His eyes glowing in the darkness. A legend, everlasting, ever-living, the Batman. The former Nightwing stands tall, battle worn. The outer layer of grey fabric on his armour is almost completely gone, revealing a black underarmour with a yellow symbol in the centre of his chest, almost shining in the bleak red night.

Below Batman, on the still standing remains of Gotham Bridge, a party of demons surround a group of cowering signs of humanity. They cackle and snigger, waving their flaming swords at the humans, who cover their faces as they await their death. One looks to the sky and notices a symbol. A symbol giving hope, descending to them. The symbol of the dark knight. He drops, folding in his cape, landing on both feet.

Swiftly, he roundhouse kicks a demon, who is sent off the bridge, falling to its death. The demons are surprised, and spring into action, swiping at Batman who dodges their every move. A sword coming from the back. Dodged. The front. Dodged. Both sides. Dodged. Batman punches the demon, who falls to the floor and leaps to his feet, his fist swinging at Batman. Batman grabs his fist, twists his wrist and breaks it, throwing him aside.

One of the demons breathes fire, Batman blocks with his cape and runs toward the demon, knocking it over and smashing its head with his foot. A demon swipes its sword from behind him, Batman back flips over it, kicking its back and taking it out. Two demons come at Batman with their swords, both going for his neck, Batman grabs their arms and pushes them back, the hilt hitting their face and Batman kicking both of them back.

One demons sounds a horn, Batman kicks it in the face but it's too late, a swarm of demons come over the horizon, heading towards the bridge. Batman strikes a battle pose, tearing what remains of the fabric on his suit.

The demons soar towards him, and screech. The cowering humans run from the bridge as they move closer to the bridge, creating a descending cloud as they pile. Batman yells and presses a few buttons on his gauntlet, his gloves then creating an electrical explosion, they then light up in blue. The same happens to his boots, metal hatches opening at the sole.

The first batch of demons approach him. Batman leaps forward into the cloud, disappearing into the heart of it. The demons take hold of him, Batman screams and then moves through the cloud, trampling over the demons as they grab at his legs and arms, being shocked as they do. Batman puts his hands together with force, an electrical shockwave is created, blowing a hole in the cloud, and blowing himself back a bit.

Batman runs, trampling over some of the demons and some more falling from the top behind him, trying to pile onto him. Batman leaps, and drops back onto the bridge, from the cloud of demons. As his feet hit the pavement, an electrical shockwave is created, but from his feet, causing Batman to leap into the air, landing onto the opposite building. The cloud of demons launch toward him, the end twisting, creating a pointing edge.

Batman runs in the red night, jumping from building to building, his armour tattered, his cowl torn. Batman runs and then drops, falling to the ground, he hits it and rolls, running straight after he does. The demon cloud plummet to the floor, the cloud breaking up into a pile of unconscious or dead demons, while some survive, running after Batman.

Batman stops running and turns, the lights on his gloves and boots depleting. He runs into the crowd, leaping and dropping, taking down a few demons as he lands. Batman constantly presses the button on his gauntlet as he fights, the demons trying to take shots as he is distracted.

The gauntlets and boots finally light up, Batman clashes his fists together with extreme force, creating an even larger shockwave. While he does this, he stamps his foot, creating another shockwave, which creates a crater, defeating the remaining demons. Batman stands solitary as he spits blood, holding his arm.

Somewhere in Antarctica

Under miles of deep snow and ice, under the blood red sky sits a military bunker, a last sign of a broken government, with a proud American flag on every corner, most tattered. Military personnel surround, marching back and forth, left and right. In the centre of the bunker lies a room, where the former leaders of the once tall government sit around a table, planning and plotting. At the end sits the former President of the United States. At one of the seats sits Amanda Waller, and another sits Lex Luthor, missing an arm.

President: Okay, Waller, this better be important.

Waller: Sir, the demons are advancing towards us.

President: We're miles below ground, how did they find us?

Luthor: The demons run on a radio-sensitive brain, which means they can pick up radio waves transmitted from here. We think they followed them here.

President: Goddammit, did you send patrol out?

Waller: Instantly, sir. But we're not able to contact them without risking them knowing our position.

President: So, what are we waiting for? Send the dog out.

In another room stands a dormant robot, no humanity shown. It's in a humanoid shape, bulky and a large red light popping out from its chest. An American flag lies on its shoulder area, over the silver plating. The head, a black glass dome for a face and a silver head shape.

Codes and tags are printed on his chest, almost naming him. A giant electrical panel stands behind it, wires reach out of it, connected into the robot, as well as a few buttons. Scientists and engineers pass it, not even giving it a second glance until Amanda Waller approaches it. Waller flicks a switch and then presses a button, lights turning on in its body and the black glass growing red glowing eyes behind it.

Waller: Cyberion active?

Cyberion: Active.

Waller: Good. A group of demons are closing in on our location, you are to find these demons and disable them. Understood?

Cyberion: Understood.

Cyberion soars through the hard ice layer between the surface and the military base. The ice explodes, as the former human rises into the sky. It watches, observes, looking down at the area around the military base, scanning.

Its head turns slowly, machine-like, its red eyes moving with it. The flames bursting out of his feet create large clouds, until it notices a group of demons and slingshots towards them, it lands in front, startling them for a second.

Cyberion: I am Cyberion of the United States Government. I will ask you to surrender and if you comply, your life will be spa...

A demon attacks with its right hook, Cyberion being pushed back by it but staying on its feet.

Cyberion: Now I am going to ask you to...

The demon attacks again, Cyberion blocking this time. Cyberion grabs the demon's hand, squeezing it and breaking every bone, until pushing its chest, sending it flying into the group of demons. The demons let out a battle cry, until charging.

Cyberion: Directive 334562 activated.

Cyberion raises its hands, missiles launching out of them and hitting every demon on impact. Cyberion leaps into the crowd, a long blade extending from its wrist and cutting a few demons as it lands. Cyberion takes a few hits, until opening a compartment in its leg and pulling out a machine pistol.

Cyberion turns, precisely shooting each demon in the brain, blood exploding as he does. His pistol runs out of ammo, to which he opens a compartment in his leg and pulls out another pistol. He fires out all of his ammo in an instant, killing a good amount of demons as he does. Stab, stab, stab. Slice, slice, slice. Cyberion has blood on its blade as it tears through demons, working as a machine does. Cyberion kills the last few, they all drop, dead.

The Last Stand of Themyscira

The land roars as a battle takes place on what used to be Themyscira. Amazons and demons slay each other left and right, leaving a blood-soaked battlefield. Arrows flying, spears soaring and limbs launching from their bodies. On the frontline stands the Amazons' two greatest warriors, who are worn, beaten and tired of watching the carnage that surrounds them. On the frontline stands Queen Diana Price and Donna Troy, who run and rampage through a barrage of monsters and demons.

They precisely dodge the seemingly infinite amount of arrows fired as explosions ravage the area that surrounds them. Next to them rides Ares, God of War, the enemies united against a common threat, fighting on the same side. Ares destroys every demon he approaches him, proving why he is the god of war. Cassandra Sandsmark, Wonder Woman, leaps into action as she slays a mass amount of demons, watching her own back.

The Queen and Donna Troy fight together, holding spears and shields, manoeuvring through every attack. The Queen runs towards a demon, slaying it with her spear, pinning the body to the ground but becoming surrounded by a group, to which she spins on her spear, kicking each demon away. Donna charges with her shield, knocking a few demons back and then slaying them with her sword, finishing the job.

A mammoth sized demon walks through the crowd, a few Amazons try to kill it, but are killed instantly as the brute beats them with its club. The Queen charges, managing to dodge the brute's slow but heavy attacks, swiftly moving through each swipe. She then manages to jab it with her spear, only for the spear to be stuck in the flesh.

The Queen nods and Donna Troy speeds toward her, Donna leaping on top of The Queens shield as she points it upwards, to be thrust onto the brute's back. Donna raises her sword, her arms around the brute's neck and she jabs it through the forehead. The brute sways for a second, then falls. Dead. As the brute falls, a demon centurion rises from the ground, fire soaring from its golden armour.

Queen Prince: You will not take Themyscira!

The Centurion charges, The Queen charging in response.

Centurion: For Trigon!

The Centurion draws his flaming sword, leaping to attack The Queen. The Queen, unarmed, blocks with her bracelets, her arms slightly burning as the flames hit the unbreakable metal on her wrists. The Queen pushes The Centurion back, managing to land a few punches in until Donna throws her a sword. The Queen catches the sword, swiping at the Centurion's abdomen, destroying the demon's armour on that area.

Donna runs into the battle, throwing her shield at the Centurion, who catches it, throwing it back. Donna blocks with her bracelets, causing it to ricochet and for The Queen to catch it, hitting the Centurion in the face with the edge. The Centurion quickly bounces back, swiping at The Queen's head with its sword, she dodges, going under the sword and then striking at The Centurion's exposed abdomen. The Centurion drops to its knees, holding its wound as blood pours out.

Centurion: You will not win this battle, Amazon.

Out of the blue, The Queen is stabbed from the back by a demon, putting its arm around her neck. The Queen drops to her knees.

Donna: DIANA!

Donna charges at the demon, snapping its neck and crushing The Centurion under her foot. Donna holds The Queen's barely alive body in her arms, she bleeds.

Queen Prince: Donna...

Donna: You're going to live through this, Diana, I assur...

The Queen removes her tiara, giving it to Donna.

Diana: Promise me, Donna...

Donna: But...

Diana: Queen Troy. Promise me, Themyscira STANDS.

Queen Troy: I promise.

Diana drops her sword, her eyes losing life as she fades away, Donna wiping a tear and rising from the ashes. Donna puts on the tiara, rising from the ashes and lifting her sword to the sky. Queen Troy charges into battle once more.

Just outside of the Shadowland

Two men trudge through the harsh, rocky area, towards a giant ash cloud that surrounds a hidden land, the Shadowland. They wear torn and ripped clothes, rags that hardly fit them.

Rupert: So, they say this place is safe?

Angel: It's the safest place on Earth.

Rupert: So why's it surrounded by an ash cloud?

Angel: It's not an ash cloud. It's a barrier.

Rupert: Looks like an ash cloud to me.

Angel: It's a soul barrier, takes those without any soul to them. Thing is, it can only be conjured up by a powerful entity.

Rupert: You know an awful lot about this.

Angel: Yeah, I used to work with a guy who knew a whole lot about all this mystical guff... y'know, before the demons came.

Rupert: Must've been helpful.

Angel: No. Bit of a coward, really.

Before they can react, Angel and Rupert are swept off their feet and snatched by two demons who carry them towards the soul barrier, grabbing them by the neck. Angel elbows a demon in the face, turns around and head butts it, confusing it and sending them both plummeting to the ground. The next few seconds are slow, until a humanoid figure, similar to the ash cloud, zooms into the two, Angel being carried away with them.

The figure grabs Angel, landing him safely, while still carrying the demon away. Angel looks up, he notices the other demon carrying Rupert, Rupert screeching. Angel pulls a revolver from his bag, loading it and aiming it, firing at the demon, who drops with Rupert. Angel runs under Rupert, grabbing him as he falls. Both the demon and figure zoom into the ground, creating a crater as they do, pieces of stone soaring through the air.

The figure constantly punches the demon. Crack. Crack. Crack. The demon is down, the shadowy figure morphs into something more human. She wears black, ravens flying around her, surrounding her. Her face white, pale and her eyes red. Black smoke rises from her shoulders, her cloak flowing in the wind.

Rupert: Who the hell are you!?

Raven: I am Raven, protector of the Shadowland.

Near the sun

A being of pure energy soars towards the sun, moving past the corpse of a long dead Kryptonian, his body shrivelled, broken, only a skeleton and skin remain. She zooms into the layer of immense heat that surrounds the sun, absorbing the solar rays, spreading her arms out. She then heads to the centre, absorbing all of the energy she can, her bright green body becoming a small portal, the energy being sucked in. She stops, the portal closing, she is surrounded by green smoke. She looks down on Earth, sighing.

Starfire Narration:  
Earth. Just one last time.

Starfire flies towards Earth, zooming down to the surface.

The Green and Red Kingdom, A few miles above the Arctic

The Changeling rises from his bed of vines, the vines twisting and turning, helping him rise to his feet. He moves his long green hair from his face, rubbing his relatively small beard. A crown of wood grows on his head, he removes it.

Changeling: I'm not your king.

He is surrounded by a castle of tree-wood, sweet singing birds flutter and land on his shoulder, he rubs their heads. The Changeling opens his hand, seeds grow and the birds rush to eat them, he smiles as they do. After consuming the seeds, they fly away, the Changeling putting his hands to his side, then brushing his hand through his hair, pulling it back. He heads towards a wall, a door-sized hole is cleared in the wood as it folds in on itself.

The hole reveals a kingdom that plants and animals share, humanoid and animal-like plant creatures run across, having evolved into sentient beings. The animals, some who have also evolved, carry out their routine in harmony. The Changeling rises his green furred arm, fruit growing from each part of soil in the kingdom for the different types of living beings to eat. The Changeling walks through the harmonious land, heading to a small tree-house, surrounded by beautiful plants, a dog-like plant creature smiling at The Changeling.

A door-hole opens in the tree house, The Changeling walks through it, revealing a darkly lit room, where a large fire provides the only light. A white haired woman sits next to the fire, on a chair-shaped object. Abigail Arcane.

Changeling: Hi, Abi.

Abi: Hey.

Changeling: How's it been?

Abi: The same, really. Just... paradise.

Changeling: Do you want to talk about it?

Abi: There's nothing really to talk about.

Changeling: About Alec, or...?

Abi: Garfield, I don't want to be rude but... you CAN'T help me.

Changeling: Abi, there's nothing to be ashamed about. You lost someone, it's okay to be upset.

Abi: I know. I understand, Gar. It's just, I don't want to burden you. You have a WHOLE kingdom to look after. I can't imagine what you're going through right now.

Changeling: Abi, I WANT to help you. Yes, I'm the avatar to BOTH the green and the red. Yes, I have to be the guardian to this kingdom but right now, I want to help YOU.

Abi: Why do you care?

Changeling: Because you're my friend. Alec was my friend. Now, what do friends do? They help each other, they look out for each other. I know I'm way in over my head here. I know I have OTHER things to worry about but after half of the things I've been through, I wished I had my friends around to help me. So, let me help you.

Abi: I can see what Alec saw in you, Gar.

Changeling smiles.

Titans Tower, Present Day

Starfire and Nightwing sit at the end of the cliff that Titans Tower sits at, they converse as the rest of the Titans watch and gossip.

Starfire: Decided to stop wearing your dad's clothes?

Nightwing: Decided to stop wearing your princess outfit?

They both laugh.

Beast Boy: They're hooking up, aren't they?

Cyborg: I don't think they'd like... yeah, probably.

Beast Boy: Good place to hook up, end of the world and all. Could probably pick up a whole load of chicks at the end of the world.

Cyborg: I'm not even going to say anything.

Starfire: Yeah, I stopped wearing it years ago. It was when I signed up for the Tamaranian defence program.

Nightwing: Is there still a Tamaran?

Starfire: I have not followed up on it. I stopped working there after the 15th Tamaran was destroyed.

Nightwing: Wow, we're laughing at the deaths of millions of people.

Starfire: Not exactly. We have a great evacuation programme, everybody is now fitted with a teleportation tunnel generator, so, the high council chooses a new Tamaran before the one their on is destroyed, so, when the current Tamaran is going to be destroyed, everybody can just teleport their selves onto the new one.

Nightwing: They're so sure it's going to be destroyed again?

Starfire: Well, when it gets to the 12th time, they are going to have to have a plan.

Nightwing: Yeah, a plan...

Starfire: Do you think it's going to work? Their... OUR plan?

Nightwing: We saw it work, all we have to do is do our part.

Starfire: But we didn't do our part, we strayed from the course.

Nightwing: And you think that's going to change what happened?

Starfire: I don't know. But if we mess up, everything will change. Not just what we saw in the future but everything.

Nightwing: I know, Kory. But for now, we need to stay calm.

Starfire: Wow.

Nightwing: What?

Starfire: You called me "Kory".

Nightwing: I stopped wearing my dad's clothes.

* * *

**TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEW TITANS ISSUE SEVEN!**


End file.
